Union External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar held a wide-ranging bilateral meeting with Chinese Politburo member and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila, Philippines, on 22 July 2026, using the occasion to take stock of the gradual normalisation of India-China relations and press for progress on trade, people-to-people exchanges, and border mechanisms.

Context

Sharing the text of his opening remarks on X, Dr. Jaishankar noted that the two ministers had met a year earlier and that Wang Yi had also visited India in the intervening period. 'Today's occasion will be useful in taking stock of our ties and also discuss important regional and global developments,' he said. The meeting was made possible by both nations' participation in the multilateral EAS and ARF processes, which routinely provide a framework for parallel bilateral diplomacy.

Policy Backdrop

The minister anchored the bilateral conversation in the landmark October 2024 leaders' meeting in Kazan, which he described as the starting point of gradual normalisation between the two countries. That trajectory was 'further affirmed' when the two leaders met again in Tianjin the following August. Dr. Jaishankar reiterated India's core formulation: 'A stable and cooperative relationship can best be developed on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity,' adding that such a relationship 'can make a valuable contribution to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world.'

On the border, he was unambiguous: 'Peace and tranquility in the border areas is obviously the pre-requisite for normal ties.' He called for 'constant attention' to border mechanisms and said relevant platforms 'must be given full support and strong encouragement.' He also cited the foundational political compact reached by the two leaders — that 'differences should not become disputes' — and described managing them as 'the responsibility of diplomacy.'

Normalization Steps and Remaining Concerns

Dr. Jaishankar acknowledged concrete progress in the normalisation process, listing the resumption of direct flights, an update to the visa regime, the restarting of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra — the Hindu pilgrimage route to Tibet — and the recommencement of border trade as steps that 'must be welcomed.' However, he was equally direct about unresolved issues, placing fair market access and a more balanced trade relationship at the top of the agenda. Concerns over 'predictability of supply chains' were also flagged, along with the need to facilitate official and people-to-people exchanges and to schedule meetings of various bilateral mechanisms.

As two 'large and important nations' and 'proximate neighbours,' he acknowledged that India and China would inevitably have their own particular interests, framing diplomacy as the instrument for managing friction without allowing it to escalate.

BRICS and the Global Situation

With India holding the BRICS chairship in 2026, Dr. Jaishankar used the meeting to 'appreciate the support that China has given to various BRICS activities and initiatives' during India's tenure. He described the global situation as 'currently extremely complicated' and said the multilateral setting made it appropriate to 'exchange views on some of its pressing aspects,' signalling that the conversation extended beyond bilateral issues to broader geopolitical questions.

What's Next

The Manila meeting sets the stage for continued implementation of the normalisation agenda, with the operationalisation of bilateral mechanisms — from border talks to trade working groups — now the key measure of progress. The restarting of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and border trade are visible confidence-building markers, but substantive movement on market access and supply chain predictability will be closely watched by Indian industry and border communities alike. With India chairing BRICS, New Delhi will also look to Beijing's continued cooperation to ensure a successful summit under its presidency.